Grand Mosque's Mobile Stroke Unit Saves Life of Ugandan Hajj Pilgrim

The Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) at the Grand Mosque successfully intervened to save a Ugandan Hajj pilgrim who suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage. (SPA)
The Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) at the Grand Mosque successfully intervened to save a Ugandan Hajj pilgrim who suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage. (SPA)
TT
20

Grand Mosque's Mobile Stroke Unit Saves Life of Ugandan Hajj Pilgrim

The Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) at the Grand Mosque successfully intervened to save a Ugandan Hajj pilgrim who suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage. (SPA)
The Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) at the Grand Mosque successfully intervened to save a Ugandan Hajj pilgrim who suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage. (SPA)

The Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) stationed at the Grand Mosque, affiliated with King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC), successfully intervened to save a Ugandan Hajj pilgrim who suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage.

The pilgrim lost consciousness within the Grand Mosque due to the hemorrhage, prompting an immediate response from the specialized unit, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

Upon diagnosis at the scene, immediate treatment was initiated before the pilgrim was transferred to King Abdulaziz Hospital, a Makkah Health Cluster member, for further comprehensive medical care.

The MSU, unique in the Middle East, is fully equipped with a specialized medical team including a neurologist, cardiologist, respiratory therapist, emergency nurse, radiologist, and paramedic, along with a CT scanner. This advanced capability significantly enhances the efficiency of on-site diagnosis and treatment.

The Ugandan pilgrim received critical treatment within an impressive 16 minutes, one-sixth of the internationally accepted standard time of 60 minutes for such cases. His condition has since improved, and he is now undergoing medical rehabilitation to complete his Hajj rituals.

This rapid and efficient response exemplifies Saudi Arabia's integrated healthcare system, which aims to boost service quality and accessibility with the highest efficiency.

Such efforts align directly with the objectives of the Health Sector Transformation Program and the Pilgrim Experience Program, key pillars of Saudi Vision 2030, focused on providing advanced healthcare and ensuring pilgrims perform their rituals safely.



Microsoft Announces Another Mass Layoff, Thousands of Workers Affected

A view shows a Microsoft logo at Microsoft offices in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France, March 21, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo
A view shows a Microsoft logo at Microsoft offices in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France, March 21, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo
TT
20

Microsoft Announces Another Mass Layoff, Thousands of Workers Affected

A view shows a Microsoft logo at Microsoft offices in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France, March 21, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo
A view shows a Microsoft logo at Microsoft offices in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France, March 21, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

Microsoft is firing thousands of workers, its second mass layoff in months. The tech giant began sending out layoff notices Wednesday.

The company declined to say how many people would be laid off but said that it will comprise less than 4% of the workforce it had a year ago, according to The AP news.

Microsoft said the cuts will affect multiple teams around the world, including its sales division and its Xbox video game business.

“We continue to implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace,” it said in a statement.

Microsoft employed 228,000 full-time workers as of last June, the last time it reported its annual headcount. The company said Wednesday that its latest layoffs would cut close to 4% of that workforce, which would be about 9,000 people. But it has already had at least three layoffs this year.

Until now, at least, the biggest was in May, when Microsoft began laying off about 6,000 workers, nearly 3% of its global workforce and its largest job cuts in more than two years as the company spent heavily on artificial intelligence.

Microsoft also cut another 300 workers based out of its Redmond, Washington headquarters in June, on top of nearly 2,000 who lost their jobs in the Puget Sound region in May, according to notices it sent to Washington state employment officials.

The May layoffs were heavily focused on people in software engineering and product management roles.